The Officers and Members of the Riverdale Heights Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad, Inc. invite you to join our team! We are continuously looking for new members to join our ranks. All you need to get started is to be sixteen (16) years of age or older, pass a background check and complete a comprehensive medical evaluation.

We have four types of membership available to all new applicants;

Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician (cross trained)
Emergency Medical Technician (EMS only)
Live-In Firefighter/EMT or Emergency Medical Technician
Administrative member (non-operational)

Benefits of becoming a member here at Riverdale Heights, include but not limited to;

-100% Volunteer Owned and Staffed Station. The fire department is one of the very few places where you can meet and bond with a wide array of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds to career backgrounds all while having the department in common.

-Quality FREE Training - Our dedicated volunteers receive the best training available in the area through the University of Maryland, Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute (MFRI). Once you go through the application process, you will begin the training which doesn't stop when you get certified. As one of the benefits of volunteering, qualified members are also eligible to go to conferences in and out of the state for additional or continuing education. These courses count towards college credits through the University of Maryland.

-Training Equivalencies: If you're joining the Riverdale Heights Volunteer Fire Department and currently have valid Firefighter and/or EMT training through Maryland or another state, we can move your certifications through the county's equivalency process. If you have Pro-Board or IFSTA Firefighter I or higher certifications, HAZMAT Operations and/or National Registry EMT certifications we can apply to have your equivalencies approved by the Prince George's County Fire Commission if it meets their criteria.

-Maryland State Income Tax Incentive Program: $7,000.00 Maryland Income Tax Break - The Maryland Income Tax Subtraction Program allows a volunteer who meets certain requirements to receive a $7,000.00 credit on their Maryland state income taxes after thirty-six (36) months of active service. Effective year 2022 to receive the $7,000.00 credit. Each year, the amount goes up.

-Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP): This program rewards Volunteers that have met the requirements of the program each year and have served for twenty-five (25) consecutive years. The reward is a monthly stipend that is able to be collected every month after reaching twenty-five (25) consecutive years of service and fifty-five (55) years of age. For every additional year, you will earn an increase amount.

-Flexible membership options - We appreciate trained members who want to be part of our department who bring their experience and share their knowledge from all over. So, we offer flexible membership options like Out of County memberships and even Out of State memberships. Anyone traveling more than thirty (30) miles to join the Riverdale Heights VFD will be classified as an active, Out of Town/State member pending the following conditions are met. At least 24 hours of continuous service (or 2 - 12 hour shifts in a 48 hrs. weekend). Out of Town/State members shall be entitled to all the benefits of regular membership pending they meet all the requirements of the Length of Service Award program (LOSAP). Drills can be made up when on duty, meetings can be attended via video conferencing.

-Live in Program - Being only two (2) miles away from the University of Maryland (College Park), we offer free living quarters for students attending the University of Maryland or any other of the nearby colleges! We also offer living quarters to certified personnel with full-time careers or active-duty military who want to take advantage of this program. There is an application process to be considered for becoming a Live-In member and preference may be given to the highest level of training. Prerequisites for becoming a Live-In member at Riverdale Heights include; must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or older, must be either a full-time college student or have employment status.

For more information, please click the link below to get in contact with our Recruiter.